A large beetle-shaped robot 'Kabutom RX-03', made by Japanese engineer Hitoshi Takahashi (on top of the robot), is demonstrated before the public at a shopping mall parking lot in Higashi Ibaraki province, 100 km northeast of Tokyo on August 14, 2013. Photo: AFP

The Kabutom, 11-meters in length and weighing 17-tonnes, can walk with its six legs, powered by diesel engines, and can also blow smoke from its nose.

Children enjoy a ride on a large beetle-shaped robot "Kabutom RX-03".

Japanese engineer Hitoshi Takahashi displays a remote control box to drive a large beetle-shaped robot "Kabutom RX-03", produced by Takahashi, at a shopping mall parking lot in Higashi Ibaraki province, 100 km northeast of Tokyo on August 14, 2013.

A large beetle-shaped robot 'Kabutom RX-03', made by Japanese engineer Hitoshi Takahashi (on top of the robot), is demonstrated before the public at a shopping mall parking lot in Higashi Ibaraki province, 100 km northeast of Tokyo on August 14, 2013. Photo: AFP